place my faith
by Grasshopper
Summary: //30disasters, Hiruma x Mamori// There are times when, after all the strategizing and battle plans have been made, all that's left is to have faith.


**Title:** place my faith  
**Author:** Grasshopper (A.K.A. The Undertaker's Muse)  
**Rated:** PG  
**Series:** 30disasters  
**Warnings:** Angst, as Mamo-nee tends to worry so. Kind of hetero-romance-thingy. Could be read as gen, but is meant to imply more.  
**Fandom:** Eyeshield 21  
**Spoilers:** References things up to chapter 251, but is in some nebulous point in time between it and the end of chapter 252. (I suck at being specific.)  
**Pairings:** Hiruma Youichi x Anezaki Mamori  
**Summary:** There are times when, after all the strategizing and battle plans have been made, all that's left is to have faith.  
**Author's Notes:** I've got, like, five other HiruMamo fics in the works that just don't want to be finished. But I read the latest two chapters and I pop this thing out in a couple of hours. Fucking muses.  
**Disclaimer:** All things _Eyeshield 21_ belong to Inagaki Riichiro and Murata Yuusuke. Grassy only lays claim to the plot.

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**(17.) pins and needles**

Anezaki Mamori wasn't the type of girl to pray. Not that she **never** prayed or paid homage to the kami - she **had** been raised properly, after all - but Mamori preferred to place her faith in those around her. Believed in their strengths and knew that their weaknesses often helped to harden their resolves. And believing in her friends helped to make her stronger, too.

But oh, how she prayed now.

Did she believe in her team? Without doubt. Did she understand their gung-ho recklessness was one of their greatest assets? Of course. Did she know they'd do anything to protect one another from serious harm, if at all possible? Absolutely. What was once a mismatched group with little rapport was now a cohesive unit that bled effort and breathed determination. The nearly-impossible dream of three boys had grown and was **so close**. Just one more door to pass through.

It was the most difficult and frightening door Mamori had ever known. And so she prayed; believing in the Devil Bats' powers, both of body, mind, and heart.

_Let them come out of this alive and whole, even as they give it their all. Please!_

Mamori looked at the seemingly innocent envelope tucked within the pages of her notebook. She hadn't wanted to take it; would prefer to rip it to shreds as she had the last one. But if it relieved Hiruma-kun - even just a little - then she'd keep the wretched thing on hand. And **pray**.

_I don't ever want to have to open that envelope. Not **ever**!_

Never before had Mamori been so worried. Not even Sena at the height of his being bullied had effected her so. But not even Agon-san frightened her the way Gaou-san did. Agon was a calculating, genius bastard, but Gaou…

He was a monster, in more than just his looks and insane strength. And he was targeting Hiruma-kun in more than a match of minds. Gaou planned to **destroy** Hiruma-kun.

Even worse, Hiruma-kun **expected** to be destroyed by the other player.

That was probably what terrified Mamori most. Because it was rare for their quarterback to be so off in his strategic planning as to not call this one correctly.

_Please. Please!_

With that last plea, Mamori steeled herself for the upcoming game. No matter what she felt, she was the Devil Bats' manager. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden, especially when there were things to be done. If nothing else, keeping occupied could be just the distraction her anxious nerves needed.

Mamori could do this. The Devil Bats could do this. They **would** do this.

She gave one last, nervous glance at the ominous envelope before scurrying around, gathering supplies as she went. There was no time left for her to fret about the possible outcomes.

But even as her mindset was centered around strategy and data and the mutterings of Doburoku-sensei, Mamori couldn't help one final entreaty.

_Hiruma-kun, please. Come out of this safely and victorious._

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**The End**


End file.
